I'm 17 and have been having a lot of trouble with my body lately. Two years ago, I used to be chubby and I worked hard to lose 22 lbs. A lot of people complimented me for getting into shape, but some people told me that now my face looks too thin and they liked it better before. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to like myself. I hate my genes because they are responsible for my looks. I absolutely hate my smile because my teeth aren't straight and there are rarely any pictures in which I look good. I'm reluctant to smile or even have my picture taken because I feel like I look stupid. I'm jealous of all my super stylish and pretty cousins. I want to have a celeb smile. I feel so inferior with my flabby thighs and other flaws that sometimes I hate myself. Please help me.

Aastha

Dear Aatha,

It breaks my heart to hear how negatively you speak about yourself. Whatever we spend time focusing on becomes the focus of our lives. So you have a choice to make. You can continue to obsess about what is wrong with your body or life, or you can begin creating the life you want to live! (and love living!) Have you spent any time celebrating the changes you made in your life to create a healthier body? Don't lose the opportunity to cherish those because you're allowing your physical appearance to control the way you live your life. You have a choice to make. You can learn to embrace and respect the parts of you that make you unique, or you can continue to live in the pain and jealously of comparison. One is a prision and one is an opportunity to celebrate your life. Choose to celebrate!